HARARE – A serial female fraudster who recently escaped a 35-year jail term through the benevolence of the presidential amnesty in May 2016 has appeared before Harare Magistrates’ Court to answer fresh charges of fraud.

Kudzai Nyoka ,32, could face a lengthy sentence if found guilty of three counts emanating from posing as a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official to allegedly defraud unsuspecting people of $34 604.

The value of property recovered was $9 890.

[Adz]

Nyoka was denied bail when she appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa who considered that Nyoka was in 2014 convicted of fraud and was a flight risk.

The State also argued that Nyoka had a propensity to commit similar offences as she has another similar case of fraud before the courts.

For the first count, allegations are that on November 27, 2017 complainant Rejoice Mangori while having her hair done in a salon overheard that Nyoka was a Zimra employee capable of assisting people in purchasing goods at Zimra auctions.

Mangori was then linked to Nyoka through the latter’s hair stylist.

The pair opened negotiations through WhatsApp for the purchase of a refrigerator with Mangori later sending Nyoka $104 through EcoCash for the purchase to be made.

The court heard that Mangori proceeded to meet Nyoka who was dressed in clothes resembling Zimra officials.

While waiting for her refrigerator, Mangori then advised Harry Ndlovu who in turn informed Edwin Muleya and Munyaradzi Majoni (also complainants) of the Zimra official capable of facilitating purchase of goods from Zimra auctions.

The three connected with Nyoka over the purchase of vehicles with Nyoka advising that vehicles were being sold through auction at a cheap price.

Muleya got interested in buying the vehicles and advised Nyoka he wanted a Toyota Hilux and two Mercedes Benz and a Honda Fit.

Muleya went on to make a bank transfer of $14 700 and $2 300 to Nyoka.

The transfers were made to third party accounts, at the instruction of Nyoka.

Once Muleya had made the transfers, Nyoka switched off her phone leading to Muleya making a police report that led to the arrest of the ‘‘third parties”— Michael Rangwani and Howard Mutsago.

The duo is currently out on bail.

The third count involves Majoni who lost $17 100 to the three accused and nothing was recovered.

The court heard that the trio misrepresented to Majoni that there was a Zimra auction where motor vehicles were being sold at cheap prices and made Majoni believe they could facilitate the purchase of several vehicles at a discount.

Soon after Majoni made payment, the trio immediately switched off their cellphones prompting him to make a police report leading to their arrest.

While in jail, Nyoka won an award in the non-singing category of Starbrite competition in 2015.